ABC 10 News reports that an hour after a San Diego couple dropped off 5-year-old Mickey at the Delta cargo office Friday night for his trip to be reunited with his owner – the couple’s 12-year-old niece who recently moved out of state – he was missing.

The couple says they received a phone call from the airline informing them that the cat had escaped its cage and was wandering the tarmac.

“My heart dropped, I just said ‘where is my cat, what happened?’ ‘He opened the cage,’ that’s what they said, he opened the cage,” the girl’s aunt tells ABC 10 News.

The couple claims that the cage – which they took a picture of before leaving – was not secured with zip-ties by Delta employees.

A spokesperson for Delta lost and found says the airline is aware of the missing animal and has worked with the family to locate it.

Since learning of the cat’s escape, the couple has been at the San Diego International Airport setting up traps and handing out flyers with Mickey picture in hopes that the animal will be found safe.